There's nothing like a bit of police tape to fill a restaurant. You only need to glance at a tabloid newspaper to see how much people love a bit of human trauma. It's entertaining apparently...especially with a bit of pasta and some garlic bread on the side.
(Photo from the Bath Chronicle)
Yesterday, through some unfortunate turn of events, a man climbed up onto a roof near the restaurant and threatened to jump off. The police rushed to the scene but not as quickly as a the public who swarmed in like a group of bloodthirsty mosquitos. The man started throwing things down at them and said that he had a gun, so the police evacuated the whole area, cordoning it off with police tape and barriers. The odd thing was, they didn't ask us to close the cafe. Apparently they couldn't afford to pay compensation. We had some bookings but thought they probably wouldn't be allowed in...but in they came, slipping under the police tape. Before long the whole restaurant was full and we ended up having a very busy lunch. There were lots of tourists enjoying a bit of British drama- I guess it did look a bit like 'The Bill' outside. Eventually, our customers left, grumbling about how far they had to walk because of the road closures. When it was all resolved a few hours later (he came down unharmed) and the police tape was taken down, it went very quiet. Nobody came in. Obviously the entertainment had finished.
I've enjoyed working mostly day shifts this week, though it has had its interesting moments. Today, about half an hour before I finished, a young guy walked in, track-suited-up and white shoes gleaming. He asked for a coke to take away and then tried to pay with a fifty pound note. Now, fifty pound notes are a bit rare over here. Only tourists ever seem to have them and you always have to check that they are not fakes. This one looked okay and he said he didn't have anything smaller, so I gave him his change, £48.20. He then asked me, AFTER I'd handed him his change if he could get it differently...with three ten pound notes.
Me: "Ah, okay, but you need to give me back thirty pounds for me to change it."
Scallywag: "What? You think I'm going to run off with it or something? Just give it to me!"
Me: "No. First you give me the money back, then I'll change it."
So he tried shouting at me, trying to distract me from the fact he was handing over twenty-five pounds instead of thirty."
CUE Helen (Assistant Manager, sitting having a coffee): Don't you shout at her!"
Scallywag: "I WASN'T SHOUTING, THAT'S JUST HOW I TALK."
Me: "This isn't enough money. What are you trying to do?"
Scallyway: "Nothing, I'm just trying to get some change. God, just give me my fifty pound note back."
At this point he produces fifty pounds in change that he had all along. I swap it for his original fifty pound note, and he leaves very quickly.
SCAM FAILED.
I do regret that I gave him back his fifty pound note though, he'll go and try the same thing somewhere else. Helen and I worked out that he was only trying to get an extra five pounds out of it. It's an elaborate scheme but I guess if you try it out at lots of different shops you could make quite a profit.
Just another exciting week at Say Pasta
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